Demand for guns in Iron Mtn.

Last week, President Obama called on Congress to tighten controls on firearms.

His proposals come at a time of increased interest in guns in the U.P.

The President’s gun control plan came in the wake of the school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut.

The owner of the Treasure Shop in Iron Mountain says interest in firearms has increased tremendously in the month or so since the shootings took place.

Laurie Walstrom says demand for guns has more than doubled in that time.

She says the shootings and the gun control plan are enormous topics of conversation for her customers.

Assault rifles and handguns are selling as quickly as stores receive them; Walstrom says there’s a waiting list for orders of assault rifles and anything stores may have had on their shelves a month ago is gone.

Among other things, the President is proposing that Congress require background checks on anyone who buys a firearm, that it ban assault weapons and that it restrict ammunition magazines to 10 rounds at most.